Do you want to die fast or slow? - Coffin assault victim asked
3 August 2017
Middelburg – The two men who forced Victor Mlotshwa into a coffin asked him if he wanted to die slow or fast.
This was revealed in a two minute long video presented to the court as evidence on Thursday where Theo Jackson and Willem Oosthuizen are facing charges of kidnapping, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, attempted murder and possession of an illegal firearm.
They were released on bail in July.
In the video clip, one of the men says: "Jy praat kaak [You're talking shit]", while questioning Mlotshwa about alleged stolen cables.
"Please don't kill me," Mlotshwa pleads with the men.
"You are killing my farm, why can't we kill you," replied one of the men.
While the video played, Mlotshwa looked down, some members of the community wept, while others walked out of the court.
Mlotshwa testified on the fourth day of the trial in the High Court sitting in the Middelburg Magistrate's Court that he pleaded with the two men not to harm him.
"After [seeing] that I was in a very difficult position. I thought these men were going to kill me," he told the packed court gallery.
"They were kicking me with their boots and pressing me down," he said.
Mlotshwa said he only went to the the doctor after the video went viral - his wounds were already healed by then.
That clip, the court heard, was shot by Jackson and when his phone battery died, Oosthuizen shot the second video.
On Wednesday, an emotional testimony from Mlotshwa forced Judge Segopotje Mphahlele to adjourn the matter. Mlotshwa broke down when he took the stand.
Upon seeing her son cry, Mlotshwa's mother, Lonia, who is also expected to testify, also started to weep.
There were also heated reactions from the public as Mlotshwa recalled how the two men had forced him into a coffin and allegedly threatened to pour petrol over him.
Some threatened violence saying the accused did not show any remorse.
